This week, at the London Book Fair, we’re thrilled to be revealing news of an upcoming release: Ricky Rouse Has a Gun by Jörg Tittel and John Aggs. Set in a knockoff Disney theme park, this original graphic novel is a relentless action comedy, a satire of US-China relations, and a parody of Western entertainment. It follows the story of Rick Rouse, a US army deserter who takes a job at Fengxian Amusement Park, a family destination heavily “inspired” by Western culture, featuring Rambi (the deer with the red headband), Ratman (the caped crusader with a rat’s tail), Bumbo (small ears, big behind), and other original characters. But when American terrorists take the entire park hostage, only Ricky Rouse can save the day. In a furry costume. Ricky Rouse Has a Gun takes a curious look at China – a country that, once we look past its often outrageous copyright infringements, is a culture ripe with innovation and a unique, courageous spirit. The book features an introduction by Christopher Sprigman, Professor of Law at New York University and author of The Knockoff Economy: How Imitation Sparks Innovation.
COPYRIGHT VS. CREATIVITY: A LONDON BOOK FAIR DEBATE
To coincide with the announcement of the book, SelfMadeHero are hosting a panel discussion at the London Book Fair, which will centre on some of the issues raised by the book. Chaired by The Guardian‘s Technology Reporter Alex Hern, the debate will feature the book’s author, Jörg Tittel, as well as BitTorrent’s Chief Content Officer Matt Mason (author of The Pirate’s Dilemma) and musician, songwriter and Guardian columnist Helienne Lindvall. Titled “Copyright Vs Creativity: Is Intellectual Property Reserved for the 1%”, the panel asks whether copyright has lost one of its principle functions: to protect authors and to combat fakes. It takes place on Thursday 10th April, in the Thames Room, Earls Court 1, 1pm-2pm.
PRE-ORDER THE LIMITED EDITION HARDBACK
Ahead of its paperback release in September, we’ll be publishing a limited-run “Gold Edition” of Ricky Rouse Has a Gun on June 12th. Available a full three months ahead of the book’s official release, this lavishly produced hardback is an object worth owning. The print run will be limited to just 500 copies, so you must pre-order.
To pre-order the Gold Edition of Ricky Rouse Has a Gun (£24.99 + P&P, out 12th June), drop an email to [email protected]. The first 20 pre-orderers will have their book signed by Jörg Tittel and John Aggs.
You can pre-order the paperback edition of Ricky Rouse Has a Gun (out September 11th) here.
It’s that time of year again: the days are getting longer, the weather’s getting warmer, and MoCCA Comic Arts Festival is upon us! Once again, SelfMadeHero are in New York City to fly the flag for British and European graphic novels, and we’ve got one very special guest joining us.
Following on from the launch of his brand new graphic novel at the Strand bookstore on Thursday night, Nick Abadzis will be signing copies of The Cigar that Fell in Love with a Pipe at SelfMadeHero’s stand (tables A18 and A19) throughout the weekend. What’s more, if you buy a copy of the book, you’ll go home with one of these exclusive Cigar-themed book plates
Plus, there’ll be exclusive discounts on all SelfMadeHero titles throughout the weekend. There’ll also be a chance to get your hands on our brand new US releases: The Park by Oscar Zarate, a stunning graphic novel by the artist behind the Eisner-winning A Small Killing (with Alan Moore); The Boxer by Reinhard Kleist, a moving biography of Holocaust survivor and champion boxer Harry Haft; and the first volume of Frederik Peeters’ Angoulême-winning science fiction series, Aama.
You’ll be able to get your hands on this wonderful book plate by Reinhard Kleist, and many more exclusive treats.
MoCCA Comic Arts Festival takes place on Saturday April 5 and Sunday April 6, 11am-6pm, at the 69th Regiment Armory, 68 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10010. To find out what is happening over the weekend, visit MoCCA’s website.
To celebrate the release of his brand new graphic novel, Nick Abadzis will be in conversation with comics journalist and bookseller Tucker Stone at New York City’s Strand bookstore on Thursday April 3, from 7pm.
Written by the French novelist David Camus, The Cigar that Fell in Love with a Pipe is a brilliantly original tale of love, heartbreak and tobacco. Fans of Nick Abadzis’s Eisner-winning graphic novel, Laika, will recognise his bold style and brilliant visual storytelling.
Following the release of his latest movie, Orson Welles – renowned director and smoking aficionado – receives a celebratory box of cigars. As he indulges his habit, Welles comes to realise exactly what he’s smoking: the final creations of Conchita Marquez, Cuba’s finest cigar roller.
Ranging from the heyday of the cigar industry to the glamorous heights of Hollywood’s Golden Age, The Cigar that Fell in Love with a Pipe inventively combines romance, history, imagination and nicotine to ask the burning question: can love triumph over adversity, or does it all go up in smoke?
The event takes place at the Strand bookstore, 828 Broadway, New York City, NY10003-4805, Thursday April 3, from 7pm. If you’re coming, join the event on Facebook here.
To attend the event, you simply need to buy a copy of The Cigar that Fell in Love with a Pipe or a $15 gift card for the Strand bookstore. Wine will be provided!
Finally, we’re able to shout about it! Yesterday it was announced that we’ll be publishing Seconds, a brand new stand-alone graphic novel from Bryan Lee O’Malley. One of the most hotly anticipated books of 2014, Seconds is O’Malley’s first graphic novel since the final instalment of the Scott Pilgrim series – and it’s going to be huge! It will be released to UK readers in August 2014.
Today we publish Vincent, a graphic biography of Van Gogh by Dutch creator Barbara Stok. The second book in SelfMadeHero’s Art Masters series, Vincent documents the brief and intense period of creativity Van Gogh spent in Arles, Provence. Away from Paris, the painter falls in love with the landscape and light of the South of France, and dreams of setting up an artists’ studio in Arles. But attacks of mental illness leave him disorientated and confused. Vincent breathes new life into this fascinating story of art, friendship and brotherly love.
We caught up with Barbara Stok to see what she had to say about the project.
Why did you choose to focus on this part of Van Gogh’s life?
I chose the last couple of years of his life, the period he lived in the south of France, because it’s an extremely interesting time. There was a lot going on: he made his most beautiful paintings, he dreamed about setting up an artists’ house, there was the tragic incident with his ear and, finally, he went to a mental institution. He had hopes and dreams and big disappointments, but in the end he found resignation and consolation in his work and in nature.
I started by reading all of his letters. That was like reading a diary. From his letters I selected scenes and thoughts that I found interesting. I also went to Arles and Saint-Rémy to see where he lived. And I gathered all the necessary facts, for instance: What kind of furniture did they have in the late 19th century? Did they have electricity or gas light? What did their underwear look like? In order to make a drawing, you have to know every little detail.
What was your process and how long did it take?
First I wrote a broad outline of the story. After that I wrote the dialogues and started drawing page-by-page. My husband Rick coloured the book on the computer. We used the colours of Van Gogh’s own paintings: we selected one painting for each scene. All together, from the moment I started reading the letters until the book was finished, it took three years.
The most difficult part of the book to make was when Vincent’s colleague Gaugin visits him in Arles. On the one hand, they get along; on the other, their characters clash. It was a real challenge to find the right balance.
What did you most enjoy about the project?
I most enjoyed making the part set in Saint-Rémy. This is where Vincent finds peace and resignation and where all the themes in the book come together. I could draw full pages of beautiful landscapes and bring forward his ideas about life and consolation: “When I am painting in the countryside, I feel the bonds that unite us all.”
Vincent is available now from all good book shops, brick-and-mortar and online.
